Internships - Professional Field Experiences

About internships

The Initial Teacher Certification Program (ITCP) at Arizona State University consists of coursework and fieldwork. The four semesters of fieldwork include three internship opportunities and the capstone experience of student teaching. The internship experiences enable pre-service teachers to gain valuable insights into public school culture, an understanding of the demands placed on classroom teachers, and the time to work with students and practice instructional delivery skills. Specifically, the internship has four purposes:

  1. Complete practicum assignments resulting from or in preparation for coursework.
  2. Participate in ongoing professional activities with a practicing classroom teacher
  3. Assess personal commitment/aptitude for teaching
  4. Prepare for the demands of the student teaching semester

The Office of Professional Field Experiences coordinates placements for all initial teacher certification programs in the college. Placements are arranged through partnerships between the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education and local school districts. These partnerships are called Teaching Centers. The following terms will be used to describe the dynamics of field experiences:

  • Teaching Center - Elementary, middle, junior high, or high schools within a geographic region.
  • ASU Liaison - The individual who facilitates the operation of the Teaching Center. The liaison can assist interns with difficulties and questions concerning a particular placement or program procedure. The liaison can also assist with any special placement requests interns or placement teachers might have for a subsequent semester.
  • Building Coordinator - A teacher, administrator or staff member in a Teaching Center school who works with the ASU liaison to coordinate information relative to the placement of interns.
  • Intern - An ASU student enrolled in the ITCP in Semesters I, II or III and participating in field experiences in a Teaching Center.
  • Placement Teacher - A practicing classroom teacher in a Teaching Center school who serves as a model for an ASU intern.
  • Student Teaching - The field experience occurring in the final semester of the ITCP in which the intern, now called a student teacher, takes the major instructional responsibility in the classroom setting.
  • Mentor Teacher - A practicing classroom teacher who serves as mentor for the student teacher.

Placement process

An intern begins the placement process after successfully gaining admission into the Initial Teacher Certification Program (ITCP). Interns attend an orientation which reviews field requirements for each semester by program area. During orientation the Intern Placement Request Form is completed and returned to the Professional Field Experience (PFE) Office in Payne Hall L1-14. For more information about field requirements for each program area, see Program Specializations in our main Mary Lou Fulton College of Education menu.

PFE places interns and student teachers in 20 school districts in our service area. To determine what school districts are available, you may return to Resources for Educators in our main Mary Lou Fulton College of Education menu.

Interns choose their field placements each semester by completing the Request for Field Placement Form. The intern has the opportunity to specify a district, school, grade or subject, and teacher. Interns are notified of their school placement at the Placement Festival held each semester.

Time commitments

To meet the field experience requirement in the Initial Teaching Certification Program (ITCP), student interns must spend a minimum number of hours per week in a field setting. Interns maintain a time card initialed by their placement teacher. All program areas require a minimum of three semesters of field experiences prior to student teaching. Field experiences are required in the first three semesters of the program until the final semester, which is student teaching. Student Teaching is a full-time requirement, for five days a week, eight hours minimum per day, for a minimum of 15 weeks.

Semester I
EED/ECD/SED/SPE/BLE/ESL
6 clock hours per week/ 12 weeks minimum
Semester II
EED/ECD/SED/BLE/ESL
6 clock hours per week/ 12 weeks minimum
Semester III
EED/ECD/BLE/ESL/SED
6 clock hours per week/ 12 weeks minimum
Semester IV
EED/ECD/SED/SPE/BLE/ESL
All day, 15 weeks minimum, 5 days a week

Evaluations

Field Experience has a pass/ fail option. Interns are responsible for returning completed forms to PFE by the due date. Failure to submit these requirements will result in a deficiency notice at midterm or a failing grade at final. Paperwork must be submitted to PFE twice each semester:

Midterm Deadline

  • Contract
  • Midterm Appraisal
  • Placement Request Form

Final Deadline

  • Final Appraisal
  • Time Card

Interns who receive a poor appraisal will be referred to the Teacher Learning Center (TLC). If an intern does not improve, or if appropriate time was lacking, the intern may receive a failing grade in the field experience, which will inhibit progression into the next stage of the ITCP.

Intern Placement Festival

The Placement Festival for the first semester interns is usually held at the end of the second week of each semester to provide information for interns about the placements, field assignments, fingerprint clearance process, AEPA information and the process for applying to student teach. Interns receive a letter prior to the beginning of each semester that gives information about this meeting. At the Placement Festival, the semester 1 intern will get a field packet and a name tag.

  • Field Packets are available at the Placement Festival for semester 1 interns only. All packets are available on this website under "Mandatory Materials". The packets contain specific information for the intern and the intern's placement teacher and gives field experience assignments, including:
    • Contracts
    • Midterm Appraisal
    • Final Appraisal
    • Time Card
  • ASU Name Tags are available in PFE and should be worn while interns are in their field experience school.
  • Liability Insurance is advised. Although interns are broadly covered by University liability insurance, interns should consider personal liability insurance either through their own, their parents' homeowners insurance, or through a professional educators group.

Professionalism

Placement Concerns -Interns are encouraged to call their liaison or methods instructor if they have concerns about their placement. Communication is expected after 8 a.m. and before 8 p.m. To request a change in districts, it is necessary to complete a Review of Placement Form in the Professional Field Experience office. If approved, this will be forwarded to the appropriate liaison immediately.

Expectations- The Mary Lou Fulton College of Education expects all interns to consistently demonstrate professional behavior during all school and/or college-related activities and interactions. Interns are expected to treat peers, faculty and staff at both ASU and the public school with respect. Physical or verbal abuse will not be tolerated and is grounds for dismissal from the program. See the Student Code of Conduct for more details.

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